Method and system for preventing unauthorized use of a vehicle by an operator of the vehicle

Abstract

A method and system for preventing use of a vehicle by an operator of the vehicle. The system includes a system controller; a biometric authenticator coupled to the system controller; and a substance detecting device adapted to provide a substance level in the operator to the system controller. Here, the system controller is adapted to communicate a driving restriction to the vehicle if the substance level in the operator is above a tolerance level or if the operator is not authenticated by the authenticator, the substance level is determined at an extremity of the operator, the operator is also authenticated at the extremity, and the extremity is selected from the group consisting of finger, thumb, toe, ear, palm, sole, foot, hand, and head.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 733,141, filed on Feb. 13, 2006, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 789,822, filed on Apr. 5, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to method and system for preventing unauthorized use of a vehicle or other device by an operator of the vehicle or other device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism No. 25 PH 351 July 1994, “Epidemiologic studies reveal the extent of alcohol's effect on transportation safety in the United States. First, 40 percent of all traffic fatalities (the leading cause of accidental death) are alcohol related. Second, although alcohol has not been directly implicated in U.S. commercial airline crashes, typical estimates of alcohol involvement by pilots in fatal general a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]An aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a light source (such as an LED(s), a mercury xenon arc lamp, a tungsten halogen lamp, or a diode laser at a specific (single) wavelength for non-invasive and / or in-vivo testing of a concentration of a substance in a tissue of a person. Another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to two or more specific wavelengths for non-invasive and / or in-vivo substance analysis. Another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a base reading and a later reading for comparison and / or determination of a concentration of a substance in a tissue of a person. Another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention couples a biometric sensor with a substance sensor at close proximate locations for concurrent and / or substantial simultaneous authentication and substance evaluation. Another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a method and system for controlling a vehicle given to a third party (e.g., a valet).

Problems solved by technology

First, 40 percent of all traffic fatalities (the leading cause of accidental death) are alcohol related.

Third, a recent review of Coast Guard reports suggests possible alcohol involvement in 60 percent of boating fatalities (including persons who fell overboard).

Biometric sensors are often considered superior to other identification systems as they are generally more difficult to disable, tamper with, or bypass.

However, biometric sensors have still not gained wide acceptance in the field of automobiles and other vehicles.

This may be because biometric sensors are expensive, difficult to integrate with existing vehicles, or difficult to operate.

Limited standalone breathalyzer devices exist to disable a vehicle if a driver's blood alcohol level exceeds preset levels.

Vehicle control systems are severely lacking in a variety of aspects.

For example, to require a breathalyzer test and a biometric identification would presently require two distinct systems that are redundant, costly, and not necessarily compatible.

The breath and in-vitro substance measurement techniques suffer from three key limitations.

That is, they require handling of a bodily fluid, which gives rise to biohazard concerns, they require some degree of direct subject supervision from a test administrator, and they do not measure the concentration of substance actually in the person in real time.

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